Here We Go Magic- Here We Go Magic

Here We Go Magic
Here We Go Magic
(02.2008, Western Vinyl)
Verdict: Paul Simon, Vampire Weekend minus the prep stars, real magic

I have been meaning to write a review for this for over three weeks now, but have been letting my laziness get in the way. However, do not let my procrastination fool you into thinking I am not way super in love with and excited about Here We Go Magic. I love the afro-beat influences that have been creeping into indie music over the last two or three years, and this album capitalizes on afro-beat better than anyone I have heard since Paul Simon. I know I have compared other albums to Simon's Rhythm of the Saints album (which is his best in my opinion) but Here We Go Magic is more like unto it than anything before, in a really good and non-copy-cat way. Luke Temple even sounds like Simon, which I never noticed until this album. Temple is one of my favorite vocalists to emerge over the last few years and his singer/songwriter loneliness and soul is not put to waste as one might have thought it would be by adding multi-layered instrumentals and loops into his new project. His vocals works wonderfully and eerily as always, quietly gracing the percussive beat driven rhythms of half the tracks on the album, while the other half are vocal free and drone based. Now, if you know me, you know that drone is a very touchy subject with me and that I am incredibly particular about the drone I find tolerable, so this next sentence should blow your socks off. I love every song on this album, drone and all. If that doesn't sell you, I don't know what will.

-Lil' Sass